Contents
Introduction
In last Sunday Gospel (Matt 21:28–32), Jesus reminded the religious leaders (priests and elders) that those they regard as sinners (tax collectors, prostitutes, and others) make it to the kingdom of God, while they themselves do not. In this Sunday Gospel (Matt 21:33–43), with the parable of the unfaithful tenant farmers, Jesus informs the same religious leaders that due to their unfaithfulness, the kingdom of God will be taken away from them and entrusted to those who know its value, and who will take proper care of it. Since these religious leaders cannot guarantee justice and righteousness, there is no need leaving the kingdom of God in their hands, else they convert it to their own kingdom where injustice, corruption and recklessness reign (cf. Isa 5:7).
The reward for wickedness
“Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? They said to him, he will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time” (Matt 21:40–41). As the saying goes, as you make your bed, so you lie on it. There are no actions without consequence. The continuous sending of his servants, was an attempt on the part of the landowners to make the tenants reason and understand they should respect the contract. If he could pardon their killing of his servants, he will never forgive them for murdering his own son. According to the chief priests and the elders, the landowner will deal mercilessly with those wicked tenants and put them to a miserable death. Thereafter, he will now give the vineyard to other tenants who will respect the agreement and give to the landowner his own share of the produce at the harvest time. Therefore, the reward for wickedness is death. Not just physical death, but especially spiritual death.
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